Lidder for wire bound boxes



- y 15, 1957 E. 'A. VERRINDER 2,799,219

' LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11.1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q as I32 I8 I INVENTOR eauesrpxsnmuosn v YA WM. 5 ATTORNEY July 16, 1957 Filed Sept. 11, 1951 E. A. VERRINDER LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES 9 sheets-sheet 2 32. TI E; 2

ERNEST A. VERRINDER ATTORNEY y 1957 E. A. VERRINDER 2,7993 19 LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- ERNEST A. VERRINDER ATTORNOEY July 16, 1957 E A. VERRINDER 2,799,219

LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 times-r A.VERRINDER avA ATTORNEY H Y F INVENTOR July 16, 1957 E. A. VERRINDER LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES '9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 11, 1951 O w e i gm @w o 0 Wm t I On.

INVENTOR ERNEST A.VERRINDER ATTO R NEY J y 1957 E. A. VERRINDER 2,799,219

LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR ERNEST A. VERRINDEP ATTORNEY y 1957 E. A. VERRINDER LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Sept. 11, 1951 mfmw ws INVENTOR ERNEST A.VERR|NDER ATTORN EY y 1957 E. A. VERRINDER 2,799,219

LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11. 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 E'IE EI l N V EN TOR ERNEST A. VERRINDER ATTORNEY BYW W July 16, 1957 E. A. VERRINDER 2,799,219

LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Sept. 11, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR F: ERNEST A. VERRINDER ATTORNEY LIDDER FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Ernest A. Verrinder, Riverside, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, Caiifi, a corporation of Delaware Application September 11, 1951, Serial No. 246,134 42 Claims. (Cl. 100-56) The present invention relates to box lidding mechanism, and more particularly to a mechanism for closing and securing the lids of wire bound boxes.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved lid closing mechanism for boxes. Another object is to provide improved hoist actuated mechanism for automatically closing the lid, compressing the contents and securing the binding wires of wire bound boxes.

Another object is to provide mechanism for applying supporting pressure to the sides and ends of an overfilled wire bound box while compressing the contents, applying the lid and securing the wire bindings of the box.

-Another object is to provide mechanism for supporting the sides and ends, closing the lid, compressing the contents and straightening and then interlocking terminal looped portions of the wire bindings of a wire bound box during a single power impelled movement of the box itself.

Another object is to provide means associated with box moving mechanism for performing a series of closing and securing operations on a wire bound box.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention, portions thereof being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken as along line 3--3 of Fig. 1, but with the parts in the position they occupy at the beginning of a lid closing operation. I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken as along line 4-4 of Fig. l, but with the parts in the position they occupy at the completion of the lid closing operation and prior to the wire loop straightening and securing operation.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 at the completion of the wire loop straightening operation.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 at the completion of the lid closing and wire loop securing operations.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 77 of Fig. 1, showing a portion of a hydraulic control mechanism for the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the entire hydraulic control mechanism for the machine.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

I Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear face of the loop bending dog.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation showing a portion of the box upon completion of the lidding operation, and with the interengaged wire loops bent into interlocked relation.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 5 showing a step in the loop straightening operation.

2,799,219 Patented July. 16 1957 "ice 2 Fig. 13 is an enlarged front elevation of one of the loop straightening units. 7 I Fig. 14 is a section of the loopstraightening unit shown in Fig. 13 taken on line 14- 14 thereof.

Frame and hydraulic system The general frame structure, hydraulic actuating mechanism and hydraulic controls of the illustrated embodiment of the invention are similar to those disclosed in application for U. S. patent of Garno E. Thornton et al., Ser. No. 143,322, filed February 9, 1950, now Patent No. 2,630,566 and issued March 10, 1953. Such portions of the illustrated mechanism, therefore, will be described only briefly herein. The frame of the machine comprises a base frame portion 20 of usual construction with upright upper frame corner posts 21 secured in vertically adjusted position thereon. Top side' plates 22 (Fig. 2) are secured by bolts 23 to the upper ends of the upper frame corner posts 21, and transversely extending front and rear plates 24 and 25 (Figs.'1 and 2) are secured across the front and rear ends, respectively, of the top side plates 22.

Vertical gib posts laterally adjusted position and rear top frame plates 24 and 25, respectively, and a top frame member 29 is secured to extend lengthwise of the machine between each pair of gib posts. A bearing block 30 is clamped in adjusted position on top of each frame bar 29 and a pair of longitudinally separated shafts 31 and 32 are mounted in holes provided therefor in the bearing blocks 30.

Two vertically slidable members 33 (Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive) are formed with yoked end portions 34 adapted slidably to receive the gib posts 27 and 28 therein. In order to prevent vertical misalignment of opposite ends of the vertically slidable members 33 on the gib posts 27 and 28, a rack and pinion guide is provided for each vertically slidable member 33. Each such guide comprises a rack 35 secured in laterally spaced relation alongside each of the gib posts 27 and 28. A shaft 38 is journaled in apair of bearing brackets 39 secured one near each end to each vertically sliding member 33, to extend laterally therefrom, and a pair of pinions 40 are keyed to the ends of each shaft 38 to mesh with the racks 35.

Coil springs 41 and 42 are mounted in compression between each vertically slidable member 33 and the fixed top frame member 29 which extends longitudinally between the gib posts 27 and 28 above it. These springs 41 and 42 urge the slidable members 33 toward their lower limits of sliding movement as determined by stop blocks 43 on the lower ends of the gib posts.

A hydraulic hoist 50 (Fig. 1) comprises a usual cylinder 51, piston 52 and hoist top frame 53. While the box moving mechanism is herein illustrated and described as part of a hydraulic hoist, it is obvious that the box moving mechanism could be operated equally well by other actuating means such as a screw, lever, toggle or other device. As used herein, therefore, the terms hydraulic, hoist and the like, except as they are used to describe the present embodiment of the invention, are intended to include such obvious variations.

For actuating the hoist 50 and controlling its operation, a liquid pressure pump 54 (indicated in dotted lines in Fig 1) is mounted in a liquid supply tank 55 and is driven by a motor 58, which also drives conveyor chains 59 to carry the boxes being lidded from front to rear of the machine. A hydraulic control valve 60 is provided to control the flow of liquid between the tank 55 and the hoist cylinder 51. Actuation of the valve 60 is controlled by a spring pressed rod 61 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8) operatively on the inner sides of the front connected to the valve 60, and biased by a spring, not shown, toward a lowered position. In an axially upraised position of the rod 61, the valve 66 is actuated to close otf a flow of liquid from the pump into the hoist and simultaneously to allow a free flow of liquid from the hoist cylinder 51 to the tank 55, while in a lowered, spring pressed position of the valve control rod 61, the valve is actuated to direct pressurized liquid from the pump 54 into the hoist cylinder.

Two box supporting anvils 62 are clamped (Figs. 1, 7 and 8) in adjusted position on the hoist top frame 53 so as to be positioned beneath the ends of a box 64 to be lidded. Guide plates 63 on the anvils guide a box 64 to centered position on the anvils when it is fed into the machine by the conveyor chains 59.

A stop member 67 is pivotally mounted on a block 63 secured to a pivot shaft 69 journaled beneath each anvil 62. Each stop member has a strap portion 70 with a bent-over upper end on which a box engaging roller 71 is mounted in inwardly inclined position.

During the operation of the machine, the box to be lidded is moved into the machine on the conveyor chains 59. It then contacts the box engaging rollers 71,'causing the stop members 67 to rotate rearwardly about the pivots on blocks 68 against the tension of spring 670 until the tension of this spring stops the movement of the box.

Each pivotally mounted member 67 is connected by a link 72 to a spring biased lever 73 pivotally mounted on the associated anvil 62. A stop 73a for the lever 73 is also provided on the anvil 63 for maintaining the lever in the desired position when no box is forced against the stop member 67. Mounted on the lower end of an angularly offset extension 75 of the lever 73 is a pawl releasing roller 74. When the stop members 6'7 are swung counterclockwise from their position shown in Fig. 7 by engagement of the box with the box engaging rollers 71, each pawl releasing roller 74 will be swung to the left from its position illustrated in Fig. 7, thereby lowering a plate 78 upon which the roller 74 rides and swinging a pawl 79 out of engagement with a notch 80 in a locking disc 81. The locking discs 81 are mounted on a valve control shaft 82, which thus is freed from the restraint of the pawls 79 against counterclockwise rotative movement.

However, the valve control shaft 82 is additionally normally held against counterclockwise rotative movement from its position shown in Figs. 7 and 8 by a lever arm 85 secured thereto and urged in a clockwise rotative direction by a coil spring 86 which encircles and exerts a downward bias on a headed pedal control rod 84, the shank of which passes through an opening in the lever arm 85. The spring 86 is of sufiicient strength to overcome the downward bias on the valve control rod 61 which is connected by a chain 65 (Fig. 7) and a segmental block 66, to the valve control shaft 82.

Upon depression of a foot pedal 83 by an operator to raise the pedal controlled rod 84 and free the lever arm 85 at a time when the pawls 79 are released from engagement with the locking discs 81, the valve control shaft 82 will be free to turn in a counterclockwise direction, thereby allowing the valve control rod 61 to be moved downwardly by the biasing action of its spring to actuate the valve 60 and admit hydraulic liquid under pressure to the hoist cylinder 51.

At the time the hoist 59 is raised from its lowest position (Fig. 1) the anvils which form part of the hoist contact the bottom of the box to be lidded and lift it from the conveyor chains 59. Simultaneously with the raising of the hoist, the stop members 67 are swung away from their contact with the box as will be more clearly understood from further description herein and by reference to application Serial No. 143,322 previously referred to herein.

For automatically returning the hoist 50 to its lowered position upon completion of an operative upward stroke of its piston 52, a latch release pin (Figs. 2 and 8) is mounted on a bracket 91 secured to the right hand vertically slidable member 33. The pin 90 is positioned to engage a block 92 on a latching pawl 93 at a predetermined upward limit of movement of the slidable member 33. The pawl 93 is pivotally mounted on a plate 97 which in turn is mounted on one of the upper side frame plates 22. The pawl 93 is urged toward latching position by a coil spring 96 connected in tension (Figs. 1 and 8) between the pawl and the plate 97. Striking of the pawl block 92 by the pin 99 swings the pawl 93 clockwise from its latching position shown in Fig. 8, thereby releasing a latch 94 and a rod 95 connected thereto for upward movement by a coil compression spring 98.

The spring 98 encircles the rod 95 between a collar 99 secured to the rod 95, and the lower portion of the bracket 91 on which the latch release pin 90 is mounted. The spring 98 is compressed by the bracket 91 upon an upward movement of the slidable members 33, thereby exerting an upward force on the rod 95' stronger than the opposed downward bias on the valve control rod 61. When the rod 95 is freed, by release of the latch 94, for upward movement under the impulse of the compressed spring 93, the headed lower end of the rod 95 swings a lever 100 through which it passes, in a clockwise direction to its position illustrated in Fig. 8. The lever 100 is secured to the valve control shaft 82, and this clockwise movement of the lever 100 and shaft 82 lifts the springpressed, valve-connected rod 61 and actuating the valve 60 so as to shut off the flow of pressurized liquid from the pump 54 to the hoist cylinder 51, and simultaneously to open a flow passage from the hoist cylinder back into the liquid supply tank. Gravity thereupon lowers the hoist top frame 53 and its associated parts, including the lidded box 64 thereon, to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The pawls 79 re-enter the notches 80 in the discs 81 when the shaft 82 is turned by the lever 100 to hoist lowering position. Since the lidded box, upon returning to its lowered position, begins to move rearwardly slightly before the stop members swing toward their innermost position, they do not interfere with the removal of the box by the conveyor chains 59 from the machine. The valve 60 is retained in its hoist lowering position until another box is fed into the machine to swing the stop member 67 rearwardly to again release the pawls 79 from the notches 80 in the valve locking discs 81.

Upon return of the hoist top frame 53 to its lowered position, the spring biased slidable members 33 will be forced by the coil compression springs 41 and 42 to their lower limits of movement. This lowers the brackets 91 and releases the pressure on the coil spring 98 (Figs 1, 2 and 8) which urged the rod 95 and its connected latch lever 94 upwardly at the upper limit of hoist movement. Release of the pressure on the coil spring 98 allows the rod 95 to gravitate to its lowered position carrying the latch lever 94 with it, and again allows the pawl 93 to gravitate to its lowered, latch securing position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. Return of the rod 95 to its lowered position also frees the valve actuating lever 100 for movement independently of the rod 95.

To remove the stop members 67 from their box arresting position over the anvils 62 in the event it is desired to allow a box to be carried entirely through the machine without performing a lidding operation thereon, as would be the case if a defective or improperly filled box should be fed into the machine, the operator, by means of either of a pair of hand levers 101 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) moves a stop control rod 102 axially to the right from its position shown in Fig. 8 against the pressure of a coil spring 106. This causes links 103 to lower a pair of vertically slidable bars 104. Lowering of the bars 104 frees a lever arm 105 mounted on each stop member pivot shaft 69 to allow coil compression springs 107 to swing the stop members 67 apart, clear of the anvils 62. This frees the box 64 for rearward removal from the machine by the conveyor chains 59 upon which it rests in the lowered position of the hoist.

Box end and side support mechanism For supporting the ends of the box to be lidded against outward distortion when the contents of an overfilled box are compressed into the box by the closing of its lid, end support members and 111 (Figs. 1 and 2) are provided, one adjacent each end of the box. Each box end support member comprises a pair of support arms 112 and 113 pivotally mounted at their lower ends on the outer side of the associated anvil 62. An end presser bar 114 of T-cross sectional shape is welded to extend transversely across the upper ends of each pair of pivoted support arms 112 and 113, the T-bars 114 being of a length to fit between upright side strips 115 (Fig. 2) on the ends of a box to be closed by the machine. A lid guide plate 118 is welded to extend upwardly from each of the T-bars 114, the upper portions of these guide plates being bent outwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, to guide a box lid 119 (Fig. 3) to properly centered position upon closing.

When the hoist top frame 53 is in its lowermost position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pivoted box end support members 110 and 111 are retained in laterally separated condition by two coil springs 120, each of which is connected in tension from one of the end support members to an outer portion of the hoist top frame. At the beginning of the upward travel of the hoist top frame 53, however, the end support members 110 and 111 are swung inwardly to box engaging position by a pair of vertical cam bars 123 (Fig. 1), each of which forms a track for a cam follower roller 121, mounted between a pair of bracket plates 122 welded centrally to the outer side of each end supporting T-bar 114. The cam bars 123 are welded, one to the forward edge of each of a pair of vertically slotted side plates 124, each of which is secured (Fig. 2) by a machine screw 127 and a cap screw 128, to one of the spring biased vertically slidable members 33.

For supporting the front of the box 64 against outward bowing during compression of its contents by the closing of the box lid, a box front support member 130 (Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, and Fig. 9) is mounted between the forward free ends of a pair of lever arms 131 (Figs. 1 and 2) pivotally mounted on the upper ends of a pair of side standards 132 secured to the hoist top frame 53 to move vertically therewith. The box front support memher 130 comprises a transversely extending lower portion 133 with a plurality of upwardly extending, box front engaging, paddle-shaped fingers 134 (Figs. 1 and 9).

The paddle-shaped fingers 134 are laterally separated from each other to admit therebetween units of a wire loop straightening assembly 135 pivotally mounted on a shaft 136 journalled in aligned openings in the slidably mounted members 33, and to be described later herein. Swinging of the front support member 130 between an inoperative, upwardly-swung position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a downwardly-swung, box-engaging position, as shown in Fig. 3, is accomplished by rollers 137 (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted one on the outer side of each of the arms 131. When the hoist is in its lowered position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each roller 137 is adapted to ride in a notch 138 (Fig. 2) formed in the lower end of one of a pair of vertical cam plates 139.

The upper end of each notched cam plate 139 is secured by cap screws 140 (Fig. 2) to one of the springpressed, vertically-slidable members 33. Each notched cam plate 139 is braced against forward displacement by a tie bolt 141 (Figs. 1 and 2) passing through an ear 142 on a side of the notched cam plate 139 and also through an ear 143 on the end presser actuating cam bar 123.

As the side plates 132 with the lever arms 131 pivoted thereon are carried up during the first portion of the upward travel of the hoist top frame 53, the notched cam plates 139 bearing against the rollers 137, swing the lever arms 131 downwardly to position the front support member 130 flat against the front side of a box in the machine, as shown in Fig. 3. As the arms 131 are swung downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, the rollers 137 move rearwardly out of their respective notches; and during the final portion of the upward travel of the hoist, the rollers 137 roll upwardly along the rear edges of the notched cam plates 139 above the notches 138 thereon, retaining the front support member 130 in supporting engagement with the front side of the box on the hoist.

To prevent rearward displacement of the box 64 under pressure of the front support member 130, a pair of rear guide bars 144 is provided, the beveled lower ends of which guide the box upwardly thereon. The upper ends of the guide bars 144 have bearing support on a shaft 145 journaled in bearing openings provided therefor in the vertically slidable members 33. The lower ends of the rear guide bars 144 are retained against rearward displacement by being welded to the forward side of a transversely extending bar 148, the ends of which, in turn, are welded to the rear edges of the slotted side plates 124.

Lid closing mechanism At approximately the point in its upward travel, illustrated in Fig. 3, the lid 119 of an overfilled box 64 is engaged by a lid closing frame 150. At this stage of its upward travel the ends and front of the box are held against outward bowing by the end support members 110 and 111, and the front support member 130, while the box is retained against rearward displacement by the rear guide bars 144. Therefore, any overfilled portion of its contents will project above the top of the box, as indicated at 151 (Fig. 3).

The lid closing frame comprises a rectangular open frame structure having a pair of side bars 152, and a pair of transversely extending front and rear angle members 153 and 154 welded to extend therebetween. Each side bar 152 of the lid closing frame 150 has a pivot pin 155 (Fig. 2) near its forward end connected, by an adjustable link 157, to a pin 156 on one of the vertically slidable members 33. A pin 158 also is mounted to extend laterally from the rear end of each side bar 152, and these pins ride in vertically slotted openings 159 in the side plates 124 adjacent thereto. The length of the slots 159 is such that at the beginning of a lid closing operation, before it is necessary to employ force in compressing the contents of the box, the angle of the lid closing frame 150 will conform substantially to the angle of the open lid 119 as in Fig. 3, while when the pins 158 reach the upper ends of their respective slots 159, the frame 150 will be substantially horizontal, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

A pair of longitudinally extending lid presser bars 160 (Figs. 1 and 3 to 6, inclusive) is provided in the lid closing frame 150 for engaging the ends of a box lid and forcing it to a closed condition. These lid presser bars are mounted, one over each of the box supporting anvils 62, on the hoist top frame 53, and extend between the front and rear angle members 153 and 154 of the lid closing frame. A top angle member 161 (Figs. 3 to 6), which acts as a cam to deflect forwardly a plurality of wire loop bending or crimping hammers 162 to be described later herein, is welded, in apex up position, transversely across the upper edges of the side bars 152 with its forward edge contiguous to the upper edge of the forward transverse angle member 153.

For guiding the relatively descending loop bending hammers 162 from the forward edge of the top angle member 161 forwardly over the upper edge of the front of a box being lidded, a plurality of cam blocks 163,. each having a sloping upper face and each in alignment with one of the loop bending hammers 162, are mount-- ed along the forward side of the front angle member 153, with the sloping upper faces thereof extending for-'- wardly from the sloping forward face of the top angle member 161 The cam blocks 163 are mounted to be engaged by the respectively associated loop bending hammers 162 during the later stages of the lidding operation.

As the hoist top frame 53 Carries the box 64 upwardly beyond the position thereof shown in Fig. 3, the thrust of the links 157 on the forward end of the lid closing frame 150, being resisted by the force of the coil springs 41 and 42 acting on the slidable members 33 to which I the upper ends of the links 157 are connected, urges the lid 119 toward a closed condition. However, the compressive force on the box resulting from the movement of the box by the hoist against the lid closing frame is limited by the compressive force of the coil springs 41 and 42, and any tendency to increase the compressive force on the box beyond the combined force of these springs results in an upward movement of the slioable members 33 along their gib posts 27 and 28.

During this lid closing operation, the rear end of the lid closing frame 159 is free to float upwardly as the pins 158 move upwardly in the slots 159. This exerts a desired lid closing action with a major portion of the closing force being exerted on the forward portion of the lid. This tends to compress any upwardly extending portion of the pack downwardly into the box 64- until upward movement of the pins 158 is arrested as they reach the upper ends of their respective slots 159 substantially in the position shown in Fig. 4. At this stage of elevation of the hoist, the lid closing frame 154) will be substantially level and the lid 119 will be closed. As the lid approaches its closed condition, upstanding wire loops M4 on the front of the box enter forwardly extending loops 165 on the lid 119 of the box.

In order to prevent injury to the mechanism in the event the hoist is actuated to elevate the top frame 53 with no box in place in the machine, a standard 166 (Fig. 2) is welded onto each side of the hoist top frame directly beneath the outer ends of the rear pins 158 of the lid closing frame 152. The standards 166 are slightly less in height than the box 64 to be lidded and are, therefore, inoperative in the normal operation of the machine. In the event that the hoist is operated with no box in the machine, however, the standards 166 engage the outer ends of the pins 158, carry them to the tops of their slots 159, and then raise the sliding members 33 in the same manner as though a box were in place.

Wire 1001; straightening and bending mechanism Continued upward movement of the hoist top frame 53 beyond the position illustrated in Fig. 4 will, by means of the lid closing frame support links 157 and the engagement of the lid closing frame pins 158 at the upper ends of their slotted openings 159 with the slotted side plates 124, move the sliding members 33 upwardly along their respective gib posts 27 and 28 against the pressure of the coil springs 41 and 42. The force of the springs 41 and 42, as they are compressed by elevation of the sliding members 33, exerts an increasingly strong closing pres-- sure on the box lid 119, compressing the contents of the box, forcing the overfill portion 151 thereof downwardly into the box, and bowing the lid 119 to force its ends downwardly onto the ends of the box.

During the upward travel of the hoist top frame 53, the wire loop straightening assembly 135 and a rear presser member 168 are swung downwardly from their upswung positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, into engagement with the front and rear sides, respectively, of the box 64. The rear presser member 163 comprises a pair of presser plate support arms 167 (Figs. 2 to 6) secured to the shaft 145 to rotate therewith, and a rear presser plate 169, welded in notches provided therefor transversely of the free ends of the arms 167, and of a length to enter between the vertical rear guide bars 144.

, Also connected to the shaft 145 to rotate therewith is a pair of lever arms 179, each of which is connected by a link 180 to a rod 151 mounted to extend transversely of the loop straightening assembly to be described later herein. As mentioned previously herein, the loop straightening assembly 135 is pivotally mounted on the rod 136 mounted in openings provided therefor in the sliding members 33.

Lost motion actuating means are provided to swing the loop straightening assembly 135 and the rear presser memher 168 downwardly into a gripping engagement with the front and rear respectively of a box on an operative stroke of the hoist 5t and to return these parts to their upswing positions upon return of the hoist top frame 53 to its lowermost position. This lost motion actuating means comprises two push-pull rods 170, the lower ends of which are connected by clevises 171 to opposite sides of the hoist top frame 53 to move vertically therewith. 'i e upper portion of each push-pull rod 170 is threaded, and is slidably inserted in a conventional type of swiveled connecting member 172 (Figs. 3 to 5) mounted on the free end of a lever arm 176 secured one to each end of the shaft M5.

Lock nuts 173 and 174, locked in adjusted positions on each rod 179, limit the free axial movement of the rod 170 in the associated swiveled connecting member 172. The upper lock nuts 174 are positioned on the rods 17% so as to force the swiveled connecting members 172 downwardly to a desired lower limit of movement when the hoist top frame :73 is in its lowered position, such in Figs. 1 and 2. in this position of the hoist top frame, the lever arm 176 is swung downwardly or in a counterclockwise direction by the swivel member 172 thereon, thereby turning the shaft to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This swings the lever arms 179 to their limit of counterclockwise movement, elevating the loop straightening assembly 135, and also swinging the support arms of the rear presser member 168, to their limit of counterclockwise movement, elevating the rear presser member 168.

The lower lock nuts 173 are positioned on the rods so as to force the swivel members 172 upwardly to a desired upper limit of movement when the hoist has been raised to the lid closing position shown in Fig. 4. This swings the free ends of the lever arms 176 upwardly and turns the shaft 145 in a clockwise direction from its position shown in Fig. 2. This action swings the loop straightening assembly 135 and the rear presser member 163 downwardly into gripping relation with the front and rear sides, respectively, of the box 63 on the hoist top frame. Further elevation of the hoist beyond its position shown in Fig. 4 raises the slide bars 33 along with the hoist top frame 53 as pointed out previously herein, so that during such further elevating movement, the loop straightening assembly 135 and the rear presser member 163 are retained by the lower lock nut-s 173 in gripping relation with the box.

As the hoist top frame 53 is elevated beyond its position shown in Fig. 4, the upward sliding movement of the slidable members 33 caused thereby is employed to actuate the mechanism of the wire loop straightening assembly 135 to straighten the forwardly extending loops 165 on the box lid 119. The wire loop straightening assembly 135 consists of a plurality of loop straightening units 185, each of Which is mounted to align with one pair of interengaging wire loops on the box to he lidded. Each loop straightening unit comprises a pair of side plates 187 pivotally mounted on the shaft 136 and held in laterally spaced relation by two tubular spaced 188 and 189 (Figs. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 13) and bolts 190 and 191. The bolts 190 and 191 pass through aligned holes in the side plates 18? and axially through their respective spacing tubes.

A pair of loop straightener actuating lever arms 192 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 136 between each pair of side plates 187, the lever arms 192 being spaced from the side plates by spacing collars 193 and 194 (Figs. 1 and 13). For swinging the lever arms 1'92 to actuate each loop straightening mechanism, a roller,195 (Figs. 2 to 6, l3 and 14) is journaled between the upper'endsfof each pair of lever arms 192. Each roller is positioned, prior to an elevation of the vertically slidable members 33 (Fig. 4), directly beneath the lower end of a thrust arm 198, one of which is mounted over each of the rollers 195 on the forward shaft 31 of the pair thereof mounted in openings in the shaft mounting blocks 30. For securing the thrust arms 198 against rotative movement on the shaft 31, a stub 199 is screwed into a threaded hole in the front top frame plate 24 forwardly of each thrust arm 193. Each stud 199 passes through a hole in an car 200 on a side of the thrust arm, the ear being gripped between lock nuts 201 and 202 on the stud 199.

As mentioned previously herein, elevation of the hoist top frame 53 above the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 4 carries the slidably mounted members 33 upwardly along the tracks provided by their respective gib posts, thus causing elevation of the loop straightening assembly 135 carried by the slidable members 33. This causes the thrust arms 198 to exert a relatively downward thrust against the rollers 195 to swing the loop straightener actuating levers 192 in a counterclockwise direction from their position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. This rotative movement of the lever arms 192 pulls a plurality of loops straightening device 203, one of which has its upper end pivotally mounted on a pin 206 between-each pair of the lever arms 192, upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that illustrated in Fig. 5

Each loop straightening device 203 comprises a depending bar portion 204 having a rearwardly curved offset 204a approximately midway of its length to clear the rod 181 (Figs. 5, 6 and 14), when the loop straightening device swings forward by gravity at the end of an upward operative stroke thereof, in a manner to be described later herein. A pair of cross bars 205 (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 14) are welded on opposite sides of the lower end of the depending bar portion 204 to extend at right angles therefrom. A connecting bar 207 is welded transversely across the forward ends of the cross bars 205 and serves partially to counterbalance the weight of a generally U-shaped wire loop straightening dog 208 (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 10) welded transversely across the rearward ends of the cross bars 205.

Each loop straightening dog 208 consists of a metal block having a notch 209 with upwardly diverging sides in the top thereof. Each notch 209 is adapted, on an upward movement of the dog 208, to receive between the upwardly diverging sides thereof the forwardly extending wire loops 165 of the closed lid 119 of a box 64 to exert a cam-like straightening action on the loops. A short boss 210 projects from the rear face of each loop strai'ghtening dog 208 below the notch 209 therein, and this boss rides upwardly along the forward side of a box during the upward movement of the dog.

Each loop straightening dog 208 has a sliding fit between the side plates 187 of the associated loop straightening unit 185 and is adapted to slide upwardly between the front of the box and the rear edges of cam plates 211 (Figs. 4, 5, 6, l3 and 14), a pair of which is secured to the inner faces of the side plate 187 of each loop straightening unit 185 to prevent forward displacement of the dogs 208 during a loop straightening upward movement thereof. The rearward edges of the cam plates 211 are curved forwardly at 212 to allow the loop straightening dogs 208 to swing forwardly away from the box 64 after clearing its upper edge and just prior to the entrance of the lower ends of the loop bending hammers 162 into the spaces between the front of the box 64 and the straight rear edges of the cam plates 211.

As the loop straightener actuating lever arms 192 are swung to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, the actuating roller 195 mounted between each pair of levers 195 rides rearwardly off the lower end, and onto the vertical rear edge, of its associated thrust arm 198,thereby clearing for further-upward movement the vertically slidable mombers' 33upon whichthe loop straightening assembly is mounted.

Each loop bending hammer 162 has a hub top portion 220, a pair of parallel straight depending shank portions 221, and a cylindrical lower head portion 222. Each hammer hub portion 220 is journaled on the shaft 32 directly rearwardly of one of the lever actuating thrust arms 198. Normally each loop bending hammer 162 is maintained in rearwardly swung position by a compression spring 223 (Figs. 2 to 6) mounted to encircle a pin 224 connected by a clevis 225 to the associated hammer 162, and slidably inserted in a hole provided therefor in an car 227 on a side of the associated arm 198. Lock nuts 228, screwed onto the threaded forward end of each pin 224, limit the rearward swinging movement of its associated hammer 162 approximately to the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

At the stage in the elevation of the hoist top frame 53 where the box lid 119 reaches its closed position, as shown i Fig. 4, .the heads 222 of the loop bending hammers are positioned by their clevis pins224 and lock nuts 228 over the forwardly sloping .upper surface of the front flange of theangle member 161 mounted transversely across the'lid closing frame 150. As the box 64 is elevated along with the hoist top frame 53 beyond the position illustrated in Fig. 4, and slightly prior to reaching the position shown in Fig. 5, the loop straightening dogs 208 will have been swung by gravity into the forwardly curved upper portions 212 of their respectively associated carn plates 211. At this stage of the lid closing cycle the heads 222 of the loop bending hammers 162 will be cammed forwardly by the top angle member 161 of the lid closing frame and the sloping upper surfaces of the cam blocks 163 onto which the hammer heads ride after passing beyond the sloping front face of the top angle member 161.

The heads 222 of the hammer 161 first engage the upstanding wire loops 164 on the front of the box and bend these loops forwardly-to cause the loops to be tightly clamped between the heads of the dogs 208 and the hammers 222, but since (as shown in Figs. 5 and 12) the dog 208 is, at the initial stage of the loop bending movement, still in a position to be engaged by the loop 164 as it is bent forwardly, it causes the upright loops 164 to be reversely bent or partially wound around the hammer heads 222, as shown in Figs. 5 and 12, thereby exerting an upwardly and forwardly directed pull on the wires of the upright loops 164 which tends not only to straighten the sides of the loops 164, but also to draw the lid loops 165 forwardly and downwardly toward the desired shape and position shown in Fig. 11. Continued upward movement of the box 64 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6 causes the front loops 164 to be withdrawn from between the dogs 208 and the hammer heads 222, and to be bent or wiped downwardly into relatively interlocked relation with the interengaged lid loops 165 approximately as shown in Fig. 11. The hammer heads 222 are held closely against the front of the box by the straight rear faces of the cam plates 211 during their entire loop interlocking movement, the hammer heads having'a diameter approximately equal to the thickness of the dogs 208. In this manner, both loops 164 and 165 are bent, or crimped, so sharply that they retain the form into which they are forced by the hammer heads 222, thus enabling them to hold the lid 119 firmly closed after the box 64 is discharged from the machine.

On completion of the loop bending operation, the parts will be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, at which stage the hoist will be returned automatically to its lowermost condition by engagement of the latch releasing pin 90 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) and associated mechanism, as described previously herein.

' Upon return of the hoist mechanism andthe lidded box 64 to their lowermost positions, the front support member, 130, the end presser members 110, the rear presser member 168 and the loop straightening assembly 135 will have been returned to their normal positions clear of the box, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the box again will rest upon the conveyor chains 59. Since, as described previously herein, upon return of the box to its lowered position, the stop members 67 were swung aside to have the rollers 71 ride on the sides of the lidded box, the conveyor chains 59 carry the lidded box rearwardly out of the machine.

Suitable additional conveyors of an ordinary type, such as belt or chain conveyors, not shown, may be used to carry the overfilled, unlidded boxes into position adjacent the forward end of the machine for convenience in feeding them therein, and also to carry away lidded boxes discharged from the rear of the machine.

Operation In operating the illustrated machine, wire bound boxes 64 of the type disclosed in Rosenmund Patent 1,933,030, issued October 31, 1933, are fed, one a a time, in slightly overfilled condition, into the front end of the machine, with the wire-hinged edges of their lids toward the rear of the machine. The conveyor chains 59 carry a box 64 into the machine, the guide plates 63 guiding the box to centered position over the anvils 62 which, in the lowered position of the hoist, are slightly below the bottom of the box.

Upon arrival of the box in proper position in the machine, the movement of the box 64 is arrested by the 1 stop members 67, at the same time swinging them rearwardly and freeing the pawls 79 (Figs. 7 and 8) from the notches S in the discs 81 so that upon actuation of the foot pedal 83, the valve 60 will be actuated to direct pressurized liquid from the pump 54 itno the hoist cylinder 51. This elevates the hoist top frame 53 and its associated parts, and swings the stop members 67 away from the sides of the box.

During the initial portion of the upward travel of the hoist top frame, the vertical cam bars 123 engage the rollers 121 on the end support members 110, swinging the end support members 110 inwardly to support the ends of the box against outward bulging. Also during the initial portion of the elevation of the hoist top frame 53, the front support member 130 will be swung down by the action of the notched cam plates 139 on the rollers 137 on the arms 131 of the front support member 13 As the front support member 130 is swung into position against the front of a box, the rear of the box rides upwardly along the rear support bars 144 to prevent rearward displacement of the box.

When the box has been elevated to the position shown in Fig. 3, the lid closing frame 150 engages the box lid 119, and, as the box continues its upward travel, gradually moves the lid toward the closed position shown in Fig. 4, the springs 41 and 42 resisting upward movement of the slidable members 33 to which the upper ends of the links 157 are connected. During this initial lid closing operation, the links 157 exert a major portion of the closing force of the springs 41 and 42 on the forward portion of the lid.

Elevation of the push-pull rods 170 by the hoist top rame 53 releases the shaft 145 for clockwise rotation from the position illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby permitting the loop straightening assembly 135 and the rear presser plate member 168 to gravitate to approximately the positions thereof illustrated in Fig. 3. Continued upward movement of the rod 170 causes the lower lock nuts 173 thereon to engage the swiveled connecting member 172 and turn the shaft 145 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Figs. 4, and 6, thereby gripping the box between the loop straightening assembly 135 and the rear presser member 168.

As the lid closing frame 150 reaches the horizontal position; shown in Fig. 4, the rear guide pins 158 on the lid closing frame will have reached the tops of their respective slots 159 and thus will be prevented from further upward movement relatively to the slotted plates 124. Continued upward movement of the hoist top frame 53 and the box 64 thereon beyond the position of Fig. 4, therefore, moves the slotted side plates 124 and the slidable members 33, to which they are connected, upwardly along the gib posts 27 and 28 against the pres sure of the coil springs 41 and 427 As the shaft 136 upon which the loop straightening units 135 and their associated loop straightener actuating levers 192 are mounted is carried upwardly with the slidable members 33 upon which the shaft 136 is mounted, the thrust arms 198 mounted on the stationary front shaft 31 exert a relatively downward thrust on the rollers mouned between the pairs of levers 192. This relatively downward thrust swings the loop straightener actuating levers 192 in a counterclockwise direction from their position illustrated in Fig. 4 toward the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 5. This action draws the notched, loop straightening dogs 208 upwardly toward the hights of the interengaged wire loops 164 and 165. The dogs 203 are confined during this movement, between the straight rear edges of the cam plates 211 and the front of the box 64, and exert a straightening ac tion on the loops.

As the loop straightening dogs 298 are elevated to a point opposite the forwardly curved upper portions 212 of the rear edges of the cam plates 211, they swing forward by gravity, as shown in Fig. 5, to clear the heads 222 of the loop bending hammers 162 during the relatively downward travel of the latter. As the box 64 is elevated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 12, the cylindrical heads 222 of the hammers will be cammed forwardly by the adjoining forwardly and downwardly sloping upper surface of the top angle member 161 and the cam blocks 163. This forward catnming action on the hammer heads 22 guides them into the spaces between the front side of the box 64 and the vertical rear edges of the cam plates 211. As the hammer heads enter these spaces, the ends of the the hammer heads 222 and the dogs 268, as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby exert a desired tension of the loops which tends to bend both sets of interengaged loops toward their final interlocked position shown in Fig. 11.

The hammers move relatively downward along the front of the box during the continued rise of the hoist frame 53 and a box 64 thereon from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6. During this final elevating stage, the hammer heads 222 exerting a downward wiping action on the wire lops 164 and 165 which bends them downward into relatively interlocked relation with each other, as shown in Fig. 11.

At approximately the stage of operation shown in Fig. 6, the latch release pin (Figs. 2 and 8) in the bracket 91 on the right hand vertically slidable member 33 engages the block 92 on the pawl 93 and swings the pawl away from the latch lever 94, thereby freeing the latch lever and its connected rod for upward movement under the thrust of the compressed coil spring 98. This swings the valve control shaft 82 clockwise toward its position in Figs. 7 and 8 to actuate the valve 60 so as to shut off the flow of liquid from the pump 54 to the hoist cylinder 51, and simultaneously to open a passage from the hoist cylinder 51 to the tank 55 to permit the hoist top frame and the lidded box thereon to return by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1. As the box returns to its lowermost position, it starts to move rearwardly slightly before the stop members 67 swing inwardly, thereby permitting removal of the box by the conveyor chains from the machine without interference by the rollers 71.

In case it should be desirable to discharge a box from themachine-without performing a lidding operation thereon, the operator, by manipulating one of the hand levers 101 (Figs. 1, 2. and 8) may free the stop members 67 for swinging movement by the coil springs 107 outwardly clear of the rear of the box, thereby to permit the, conveyor chains 59 to carry the box rearwardly out of the machine.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a lidder for a hinged lid wire bound box, a hoist, a frame mounted opposite said hoist, a resiliently biased member mounted on said frame for movement in the direction of hoist movement, and a lid closing member mounted on said biased member to overlie an open lidded box on said hoist, an end of said lid closing member over the free edge of a lid of the box on said hoist being pivotally connected in spaced relation to said biased member, the other end of said lid closing member being connected to said biased member for limited, guided, relative movement in the direction of hoist travel to engage and close the lid of a box elevated by said hoist.

2. A lidder for a box having a hinged lid with wire loops extending from an edge of the lid and from an adjacent edge of a side of the box for inter-engagement with each other upon closing the box lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted on said frame and positioned to receive a box thereon and to elevate the box along a predetermined path, lid closing means mounted overlying said hoist and adapted to be contacted by the box lid, contact of said closing means and said lid being effective to close the lid and inter-engage the wire loops on adjacent edges of the box elevated by the hoist, a loop straightening member pivotally mounted on said lid closing means to swing from an upswung position clear of the box on said hoist to a downswnng position adjacent the box, first actuating means operatively connected between said hoist and said loop straightening member to guide the loop straightening member to downswnng position at a predetermined stage of hoist elevation, means for guiding said loop straightening member in its downswnng position toward the bight of a wire loop on said box, and second actuating means connected to said straightening member and mounted to move the loop straightening member toward the bight of a loop on the box to straighten the loop at a predetermined stage of hoist elevation.

3. A lidder for a box having a hinged lid with wire loops extending from the lid and from a side of the box for inter-engagement with each other upon closing the box lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted on said frame and positioned to receive a box thereon and to elevate the box along a predetermined path, a lid closing member mounted above the box on the hoist for engagement by the box lid to close the lid and interengage the wire loops on a predetermined elevation of the hoist, a loop straightening member and a presser plate pivotally mounted above said hoist and on opposite sides of a box thereon, said loop straightening member and presser plate being interconnected for opposite swinging movement from an upswing position clear of a box on the hoist to a downswnng position gripping the box therebetween, and lost motion means connecting the hoist to the interconnected loop straightening member and presser plate to swing the loop straightening member and presser plate to upswung position in a lowered positionof the hoist, and to swing the loop straightening member and presser plate to downswung, box gripping position upon a predetermined elevation of the hoist.

4. Abox lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted therein, a resiliently biased member mounted opposite said hoist and normally spaced therefrom by a distance sufficient to admit a box with an open lid and fastening means thereon, between the hoist and the biased member, a lid closer pivotally carried by said biased member overlying the box, said hoist being positioned to move the box toward the biased member to force the open lid of the box into lid closing engagement with said lid closer and thereafter to move the biased member against the bias thereon relatively to said frame, means movably mounted on said frame for securing said fastening means, and means actuated bysaid hoist while raising a box and after the lid thereof has been closed for moving said securing means into operative engagement with said fastening means.

5. A lidder for a wire bound box having a hinged lid and wire loops adapted to inter-engage upon closing the lid of the box, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted in said frame to receive and support a box for elevation thereon, lid closing means mounted overlying said hoist for limited tilting movement relatively to said frame and positioned to engage and close the lid of a box elevated by said hoist to bring the wire loops of such box into inter-engaged relation as the lid is moved to closed position, and wire loop engaging means mounted on the frame and positioned to engage and bend into interlocked engagement the inter-engaged wire loops of the box upon further elevation of the hoist after the lid is closed.

6. A lidder for wire bound box having a hinged lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted in said frame and arranged to receive and support a box to be liddedfor elevation thereon, a resiliently biased member mounted opposite said hoist, a lid closing member, link means connecting one end of said lid closing member in spaced relation to said biased member, and means connecting the other end of said lid closing member to said biased member for relative movement in the direction of hoist travel, said lid closing member being positioned overlying the hoist to engage the lid of a box elevated by said hoist, with the link-connected end of the lid closing member movable into engagement with the free edge of the lid to close the lid, said biased member being effective to exert a pressure on said lid after lid closing through said lid closer,

' 7."A lidder for a wire bound box having a hinged lid with wire fasteners extending from the lid and from a side of the box for inter-engagement upon closing the lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted on said frame to support and elevate a box to be lidded thereon, a biased member mounted on the frame in the path of a box elevated by the hoist and movable with the box against the bias of the biased member, a lid closing member overlying said hoist mounted on the biased member and adapted to close the lid of a box elevated by the hoist to inter-engage the fasteners on the lid with the fasteners on the side of the box, and cam guided means mounted on said frame for relative movement transversely of the top of the box and then downwardly along a side of the box upon upward movement of the hoist, to engage and bend the inter-engaged wire fasteners into interlocked relation with each other.

8. A lidder for a wire bound box having a hinged lid and wire loops extending from an edge of the lid and from an adjacent side of the box adapted to inter-engage with each other upon closing the lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted in said frame and positioned to receive a box with a hinged open lid for elevation on an operative movement of the hoist, lid closing means mounted over the box on said hoist, upward movement ofsaid hoist being effective to bring the box lid into contact with the lid closing means to close the box and interengage the loops on the lid with the loops on the box side, means resiliently biasing said lid closing means in a direction opposed to an operative movement of said hoist, and loop engaging means mounted on said frame and positioned to engage and bend into interlocked engagement the inter-engaged loops of a box upon a predetermined elevation of a box by the hoist.

9. A lidder for a wire bound box having a hinged lid and wire loops extending from the lid and from a side of the box adapted to inter-engage with each other upon closing the lid, said lidder comprising a hoist positioned to receive a box with a hinged open lid for elevation on an operative movement of the hoist, lid closing means mounted for limited tilting movement over said box, said lid closing means being positioned overlying said hoist, upward movement of said hoist being effective to move the box lid into contact with said lid closing means to close the box and interengage the loops on the lid with the loops on the box side, means resiliently urging said lid closing means in a direction opposed to an operative movement of said hoist, and loop engaging means mounted and secured to engage and bend into interlocked engagement the inter-engaged loops of a box upon a predetermined operative movement of the hoist.

10. A lidder for a wire bound box having a hinged lid and wire loops adapted to inter-engage with each other upon closing the lid of the box, said lidder comprising a frame, a hoist mounted in said frame to receive and support a box with a hinged open lid for elevation thereon, lid closing means mounted over said hoist, upward movement of said hoist being effective to move the lid of a box elevated by said hoist into contact with said lid closing means to move the lid into closed position and to bring tr e wire loops of such box into inter-engaged relation, said lid closing means having an element thereof tiltably mounted to conform to the lid angle during its movement from open to closed condition, and Wire loop locking means carried by the frame and positioned to move past the inter-engaged wire loops on a predetermined movement of the hoist to engage and bend said loops into interlocked engagement.

1]. In a lidder for a wire bound box of the type having a hinged lid and wire loops on the box lid and on the side of the box adapted to interengage on closing the cover, said lidder comprising a hoist, means for positioning a box with open hinged lid on said hoist, a frame member mounted above said hoist, a member slidably mounted on said frame member to overlie the box positioned on said hoist, a lid closing member mounted on said siidable member and positioned overlying the box to engage and close the lid of box as the box is elevated by said hoist, movement of the lid to closed position causing interengagement of said loops, loop straightening means mounted on said slidable member and arranged to engage and straighten the interengaged loops, and loop bending means carried by said frame and positioned to engage and. bend into interlocked relation the inter-engaged loops of the box as the box is elevated by said hoist beyond the lid closing position.

12. A machine for lidding wire bound boxes of the type having wire loops on a side and lid thereof, said loops being formed and positioned to inter-engage upon closing the box lid, said machine comprising a frame, a member mounted for relative guided movement on said frame, a hoist for moving a box toward the guided member in the direction of guided movement of the latter, lid ciosing means carried by the guided member and positioned to engage and close the lid of a box moved by said box moving means toward guided member and to move loops into inter-engaged position, a wire loop straightening element mounted for movement along a Sid-3 of the box into engagement with an inter-engaged loom upon completion of a lid closing movement to enand straighten said loop, means for actuating said "tightening element in a direction opposite to the A of movement of said hoist, and means for bending the straightened loop into interlocked relation with the other with which it is inter-engaged.

13. A machine for lidding wire bound boxes of the type having wire loops on a side and lid thereof,said

loops being adapted to inter-engage upon closing the box lid, said machine comprising a frame, a member mounted for relative guided movement on said frame, a hoist for moving a box toward the guided member in a direction parallel to the guided movement of the latter, lid closing means carried by the guided member and positioned to engage and close the lid of a box moved by said hoist means toward the guided member, movement of said lid to closed position by said lid closing means effecting the interengaging of said loops, a wire loop straightening element mounted for movement toward the inter-engaged loops upon completion of a lid closing movement to engage and straighten one of said loops, and a loop bending hammer mounted on said frame and adapted to pass between said loop straightening element and said box while said one loop is engaged by said straightening element to straighten said one loop and to bend the inter-engaged loops into interlocked relation with each other. I

14. A lidder for wire boundboxes of the type having a projecting wire loop on the lid and one on a side thereof, said loops being adapted to inter-engage with each other on closing the box lid, said lidder comprising a frame, a resiliently biased member mounted thereon, a hoist for moving a box toward the biased member, a lid closing member mounted on said biased member and positioned to engage the open lid of a box moved toward the biased member, said lid closing member being free for limited tilting movement relatively to said biased member, movement of the box by said box moving means into contact with said tiltable lid closing element being effective to close the lid and move the wire loops on the lid into inter-engagement with the loop on the box side, a loop straightening member mounted on said biased member and arranged for movement in contact with the bight of an inter-engaged loop on completion of a lid closing movement, and a hammer mounted on said frame and arranged to engage and move one of said loops after engagement thereof by said loop straightening member to force said loop between said dog and the box to bend the inter-engaged loops into interlocked relation.

15. A machine for lidding wire bound boxes of the type having-wire loops on a side and lid of the box, said loops being adapted to inter-engage upon closing the box lid, said machine comprising a frame, a lid closer support member mounted for relative movement on said frame, a hoist for moving a box toward the lid closer support member, a lid closer mounted on the lid closer support member and positioned to engage and close the lid of a box moved toward the lid closer support member, loop straightening means carried by said lid closer support member and positioned to be actuated by a predetermined movement of the box moving means to engage and straighten one of said inter-engaged wire loops, and a loop bending hammer mounted to pass along a side of said box after the straightening of said loop to engage and bend the inter-engaged loops into interlocked engagement with each other.

16. In a box lidder, a hoist adapted to receive and elevate an open lidded wire bound box of the type having wire loop p'ortions on an edge of the box lid and on a cooperating edge of one side of the box adapted to inter-engage with each other upon closing. the lid of the box, means for positioning the box on the hoist, means mounted for limited movement in the direction of hoist movement and disposed over said hoist to engage and close the lid of the box as the box is elevated by the hoist, movement of said lid to closing position effectingithe interengagement of said loops, cam means mounted in spaced relation with the loop carrying side of the box elevated by the hoist, a loop bending hammer mounted in the path of movement of the box, said hammer being movably mounted and having a portion thereon of a size to enter the space between the loop carrying 17 t side of the box and said cam means, and means carried by said lid closing means andpositioned to defiectsaid hammer portion intorthe space between the box and said' cam means on a predetermined elevation of the hoist and into contact with the inter-engaged loops. to. forcibly bend the inter-engaged wire loops into fixed position againstthebox side;

17. In a box lidder a frame, a hoist'mounted on said' frame and adapted to support andelevate an'open lidde'd wire bound box of the type having wire loop portions on the lid and on one side of the'box adaptedto interengage with each other upon closing'the lid of the box, resiliently biased means mounted to engage and close the lid of the box elevated by the hoist, movement-off said lid to closing position by said biased meansbeing' elfective to move said'loops into inter-engaged relation, the stroke of said hoist being suflicient to move said; biased means against the. biasing force thereon; first'cam means pivotallymounted on said frame and adapted to' be swung from a position clear of'saidtbox to aposition in spaced relation with the loop-carrying side offthe box. elevated by the hoist, hoist controlled means mounted to swing said first cam means into spaced relation with said box on a predetermined elevation of said hoist; a loop bending hammer pivotally mounted on said frame,; and second cam means carried by said biasedmeans and positioned to engage saidthammer on a predetermined elevation of said biased means, said second cam means being formed to guide the hammer between the loop-. carrying side of the box elevated by the hoist and .the pivotally mounted first cam means and into contact with the interengaged loops to wipe forcibly along the'loop' carrying side of thebox the inter-engaged wireloops and to bend the loops into engagement witheachother'against' the box side.

18. A lidder for open-lidded wire bound boxesof thetype having wire loop. portions on an edge of the box. lid and on a cooperating edge of one side adapted tov enter into inter-engaged relation with each other on. closing the lid of the box, said lidder comprising a hoist" adapted to support and elevate an open lidded box, a: frame element mounted'above said hoist, a loop bending hammer pivotally mounted on said frame element, a lid' closing member carried by said frame. and.positioned over said hoist to engage and close the lid of abox'elevatedbyysaid hoist, movement'of said'lid to closed position by said lidclosing member'being effective'to move, the wire loops into interengagement, cammeans carried by said lid closing member and adapted'to engage theloop bendinghoist uponmovement of the hammer after closing of thelidand to swing the hammer transversely of the direction of hoist movement toward the loopcarrying edge of the box-side to engage and bend one of the inter-engaged wire loop portions outwardly away from thebox, andmeans for guiding-the hammer closely along a side of the box on continued movement of the hoist after bending of said one loop to wipe the-interengaged loop portions alongside the box, and tobend' said'loop portions into fixed engagement with each other.

19. A lidder for open-lidded wire bound boxes of the. type having looped portions on an edge of'the box lid and on a cooperating edge. on one side of the box adapted" to enter into inter-engaged relation with each other on closing the lid of the box, said lidder comprising a hoist adapted'to support. and elevate an open-lidded box, a

frame element mounted opposite said hoist, a lidclosing frame support member mounted opposite said hoist. and slidable in the direction of hoist movement, a loop bend ing hammer mounted on said frame element," means mounted to biassaid hammer to a position over said box, a lid closing frame carried by said lid closingframe support'member; and adapted to engage and close the lid of the box on antoperative movement of said hoist, movement of the lid to closed position by said lidclosingframe bcingeflective tomove said loops into interhammer closely along a side of the box on 18 engaged position, the. stroke of said hoist beingsuflicient slidably to move said lid closing frame support member upon closing the box lid, cam means carried by said lid closing support member and adapted to engage the loop bending hammer on a predetermined elevation of the hoist andto move the hammer against the biasingforce thereon toward the interengaged wire bend one of the inter-engaged wire loopportions outwardly'away from the box, and. means for. guiding the operative movement of the hoist to wipe the inter-engaged loop portions along the box and to bend said loop portions'into engagement with each other.

20. ln a lidder for a box having a ally mounted on said frame member to swing. from a normal position clear of the box on the hoist to. the position adjacent a wire said box, said loop straightening member havinga portion-with converging Walls movable-toward the bight 0ft a loopo'n the box lid when swungto a position adjacent thereto; lost motion actuating means operatively' connecting said hoist to said loop straightening member to swing said loopstraightening member clear of the box to said-normal position and to swing the loop straightening member to a position adjacent the wire-loop on the edgeofi the lid of the box" at a predetermined elevation a for moving the converging walls of said straightening member into contact with the bight of the hoist, and means of such adjacent loop to straighten it.

21;. In a' lidder'for a box having a hingedly mounted lid with wire loops extending from an edge of the lid and? from: an'edge of a cooperating side of said box for inter-engagementwith'each other upon closingthe lid, a frame; a hoist'mounted on said frame and adaptedto support anbox" thereon, lid closing means mounted over said hoist 'and resiliently biased from saidframe toward said hoist, support'm'eans'mounted for movement against a'side:of th'e bo'x'on'said hoist, actuating meansmounted tomove said side'support" means against a side of'a box upon the' predetermined movement of 'the hoist relatively to said biased means, a loop straightening member mounted'to-engage' a box adjacentthe loop-carrying side of the-terminal wire loop thereof: upon predetermined relative movement between the hoist and said biased means, a loop' straightener" actuating member movably mounted onthebiased means and 'connecte'd'to said'loop straightening member, and an element carried by said frame andpositioned'to' engage and actuate said loop straightener-actuating member on a predetermined movement' of said hoist' for moving saidloop straightening membertoward the bight of the adjacent loop and into straightening engagement with the loop.

22: In a-lidder'for a box'having a hingedly mounted lid'with wire "loops extending from the lid and from a side-of= said box for inter-engagement upon closing the lid, avhoistadopted to support and elevate an open-lidded box, artop'frame, a memberbiased' from 'sa'id top frame, me-ansopetatively connected between the hoist and said biased member for" moving'the biased member against the? biasingforce thereon upon apredetermined movement of? the-hoist,- a loop straighteningmember mounted on saidrbiased member havinga portion movable against the loop-carrying side ofthe box adjacent a terminal Wire loop, thereof uponpredetermined" relative movement between.the. hoist and-saidbiased member, a loop straightener actuating member mounted on the'biased memberand connected to the loop. straightening member, and'an element onthe top frame engageable. with'said actuating memberlon a predetermined movement of said biased member relatively to the top' frame to operate said actuatloopsto engage anda continued hingedly mounted lid"with wire loops extendingfrom an edge of the lid a hoist adapted. a frame member.

loop on' the edge of the side of ing member and to move the loop straightening member into straightening engagement with the adjacent wire loop on said box.

23. A lidder for a wire bound box comprising a hoist adapted to receive and support a box for elevation thereon, lid closing means mounted opposite said hoist, a portion of said lid closing means being positioned to engage and close the lid of a box elevated on said hoist, a box engaging member pivotally mounted on the hoist to swing -rom a position clear of a box on the hoist into engagement with a side of such box, a cam mounted on said lid closing means, a notched track portion on said cam, and an un-notched track portion on said cam adjacent the notched track portion thereon, the notched track portion of the cam being positioned to engage a portion of said box engaging member during a first predetermined phase of hoist movement to swing the box engaging member between a position clear of the box and a position engaging a side of the box on the hoist, and said un-notched cam track portion being positioned to engage a portion of said box engaging member during a second predetermined phase of hoist travel to retain the box engaging member in engagement with the box side.

24. A lidder for a wire bound box with lid securing loops thereon, said lidder comprising a hoist adapted to receive and support a box for elevation thereon, lid closing means mounted opposite said hoist and movable parallel to the direction of hoist movement, means biasing said lid closing means toward said hoist, a first box engaging member pivotally mounted on the hoist to swing from a position clear of a box on the hoist into engagement with a side of such box, actuating means carried by said lid closing means and connected to swing the first box engaging member during a first predetera mined phase of hoist movement from a position clear of the box to a position engaging a side of the box, and during a second predetermined phase of hoist movement to retain the first box engaging member in engagement with the side of the box, a second box engaging member pivotally mounted on the lid closing means, lost motion actuating means connecting said hoist to said second box engaging member to swing said second box engaging member into partially interposed relation with said first box engaging member, loop straightening means mounted on one of said box engaging members, and actuating means mounted to move said loop straightening means into straightening engagement with a lid securing loop with the side engaging members in partially interposed relation.

25. A lidder for a Wire bound box with lid securing loops thereon, said lidder comprising a hoist adapted to receive and support a box for elevation thereon, lid closing means mounted opposite said hoist and movable parallel to the direction of hoist movement, means biasing said lid closing means toward said hoist, a box engaging member pivotally mounted on the hoist to swing from a position clear of a box on the hoist into engagement with a side of such box, said box engaging member having a side engaging portion thereof positioned to clear a securing loop of said box, actuating means carried by said lid closing means to swing the box engaging member from a position clear of the box to a position engaging a side of the box during a first predetermined phase of hoist movement and to retain the side engaging member in engagement with the box during a second predetermined phase of hoist movement, a loop straightener support pivotally mounted on the lid closing means, a relatively movable loop straightening element carried by said loop straightener support, lost motion actuating means connecting said hoist to said loop straightener support to swing said support to a position adjacent said side engaging member and opposite a securing loop on said box during the second predetermined phase of hoist movement, and actuating means mounted for movement relatively to said hoist and to said loop straightener support to move said loop hinged box lid as the hoist 2% straightening element into straightening engagement with a loop opposite thereto.

26. Apparatus for securing a lid on a box comprising a frame, means movable relative to the frame and arranged to support a box having a lid with a projection adapted to be interlocked with a second projection on an adjacent edge of the box, mechanism operable to straighten said projections during movement of the box relative to said frame, and means actuated by the movable means during movement of the same for operating said projection straightening mechanism.

27. A lidder for a box comprising means for elevating a box having a hinged open lid carrying a projection adapted to be interengaged with a second projection on the-corresponding edge of the box, means for simultaneously closing said lid and moving the projections into interengaged position during a lower part of said elevating movement, and means for interlocking said projections during an upper part of the elevating movement.

28. A lidder for a wire bound box comprising a stationary frame, a hoist adapted to receive and elevate a box having a lid with a wire loop adapted to be interengaged with a second Wire loop on the corresponding side of the box, means on said frame for closing the lid as the hoist elevates the box and moving the wire loops into interengaging position, the loop on. the lid being moved to a position overhanging said corresponding side of the box, and means movable with said hoist having a portion lying close against said corresponding side of the box and movable upwardly therealong to engage and straighten the overhanging wire loops as said box is elevated.

29. Apparatus for securing a lid on a box comprising a stationary frame, a hoist mounted in said frame and adapted to support and elevate a box having a cover carrying a bendable projection at one end adapted to be interlocked with a second projection on the correspnoding edge of the box, means operatively assisted with said hoist for moving said projections into interengaged position during elevation of the box, and a crimping head positioned in the path of one of said interengaged projections for engagement thereby during vertical elevating movement of said hoist to bend said one projection over the other projection.

30. A lidder for a wire bound box comprising a stationary frame, a hoist arranged to receive and elevate a box having a lid with a wire loop adapted to be interengaged with a loop on the corresponding side of the box, means carried by said frame for moving the wire loops into interengagement with each other, the loop on the lid being moved into a position overhanging said corresponding box side, loop straightener means movable with said hoist and having a portion lying close adjacent said corresponding side of the box and movable upwardly therealong to engage and straighten said overhanging wire loop, means for guiding said loop straightener portion along said corresponding box side, and a crimping hammer mounted on said frame and movable against the interengaged loops, said guide means having a guide track inclined away from the box side and said loop straightener portion being movable along said inclined track away from the box side as said crimping hammer contacts said loops.

31. A lidder for a wire bound box comprising a stationary frame, a hoist mounted inside said frame and arranged to receive and elevate a box having an open hinged lid with a wire loop projection adapted to be interengaged with a loop on the corresponding side of the box upon closing of the lid, a member slidably mounted in said frame above the box on the hoist, said slidable member having a portion positioned to be contacted by the open moves upwardly to urge the lid to closed position and to move the loop projections into interengaged position, means establishing a driving connection between said hoist and said slidable member after lid closing,

a plate pivotally mounted on said slids mmers 21 ablemember, a. lever pivotally mounted, on" said plate, a'loop' straightener fixed to-said arranged upon pivotal movement loops, and an abutment member secured to said frame and disposed in the path of travel of one end ofsaid lever to be contacted thereby to operate said loop straightener driven upwardly by'saidhoist. bound box comprisinga sta as said slidable member is 32. A lidder for a wire tionary frame, a hoist mounted inside said frame and arranged to receive and elevate a box having an open hinged lid with a wire lishing a driving connection between said hoist and' said lid closing'whereby said slidablef member'is moved upwardly relative to said frame, a'loopi. straightening member pivotally mounted on said slidable.

slidable member after member and adapted to be swung into position to engage one of said loop projections, abutment means-depending from said frame in the path of travel of said loop straightening member to make contact therewith as the slidable member is moved upwardly by said hoist, said contact effecting the movement of said member into contact with said projections, and a crimping hammer depending from said frame in the path of travel of said interengage'd loopjs tobe engaged thereby to crimp said loops against said box 33. In a box lidder, a hoist adaptedto receivei'and' raise a box having alid hinged thereto and extending thereover in tilted position, a stationary frame mounted above the hoist, a guide track mounted on said stationary frame, a lid closer support mounted on said track for guided movement thereon parallel to the direction of hoist movement, a lid closing member mounted on said guided support for tilting movement about an axis adjacent one edge of the closing member and adjacent one side of the path of movement of a box raised by the hoist, said closing member extending substantially across said path to the opposite side thereof and in position to be engaged by the tilted top of the box, and means for pressing the side of said closure member opposite said axis downward to close the lid as said hoist raises the box.

34. In a machine for securing in closed condition the lid of a box having a wire extending from a side of the box through a loop extending from the top of the box, means for supporting the outer end of said wire, and means operative during operation of said supporting means and engageable with the wire between the box and said end-supporting means for bending said loop into close proximity to said box side and thereafter crimping said wire around the distal end of said loop and into close proximity to said box side.

35. In a machine for securing in closed condition the lid of a box having a first loop extending from a side of the box through a second loop extending from the lid of the box, a conveyor for the box, means operably associated with said conveyor for flexing said first loop outward from the plane of the box side, thereafter bending said second loop downward substantially into close proximity to the box side, and thereafter crimping said first loop downward around the outer end of said second loop and into close proximity to said box side, and means cooperative with said bending and crimping means for engaging the outer end of said first loop and imposing tension thereupon as said bending and crimping means advances.

36. A machine for securing in closed condition the lid of a box having a first loop extending from a side of the box through a second loop extending from the lid, comprising box positioning means, loop bending means cooplever; said' lever beingi to move" said loop straightener into engagement'with one of the interengagedloop projection adapted to be interengaged with a loop onthe. corresponding'side of the box upon closing of the lid, a member slidably mount-3 eratively"assoeiated tlierewith, rneansfor causing .relative' movement' between' saidpositioningmeans and said bend ingmeans, means for guiding said bending means in a path' intersectedby said-first loop to flexsaid first loop outward from theiplane'ofthe box side toward the outer end. of said'second-loop", means for guiding said bending means in a path adjacent and parallel to the box side to bend said secondloop downward in close proximity to the box' side "and-tocrimp-said first loop around'said second loop and into close proximity to the box side, and means operative during operation'of said bending means for engaging the outer end'of said first loop" to impose tension upon said first loop.

371 A machine forsecuring in closed condition the lid of a box having afirst loop extending from aside offthe" box through a secondloop extending from the lid, comprising box positioning means, loop bending means cooperatively associated'therewith, means for causing relative movement betweenysa'idpositioning means and said bending means and thereby advancing said bending means with relationto said box, means-ma path intersected by said first loop to flex said first loopoutwardf'rom the plane of the box side toward the outer end oftsaid second loop, means for guiding said bendingmeans'in apath'adjacent' and parallel to the box sideto'bend said second loopzdownward in close'proximity toth'e box side and-to crimp, said first loop around said second loopandinto closeproximlty to the box side, andmeansfor wrapping said first loop partially around said bending means'as the bending means moves with .relation to the box. s

38. Inia machine for securing in closed condition the lid of a box having'a first loop extending from aside of theboxand a second loop extendingfrom the lid of the box in alignmentwith said first loop, a'conveyor, means operatively associatedwith. said conveyor for straightening' said firstloop during advance of the box by the conveyor, guiding means for retaining said straightening means in operative relation with said first loop until completion of the straightening operation thereupon and thereafter releasing said straightening means for outward movement from the plane of the box side, means operable upon release by said guiding means for retaining said straightening means at predetermined spacing from said plane, means operated by said conveyor during advance of the box thereby for passing said second loop over said straightened first loop, and loop crimping means operatively associated with said conveyor for flexing said first loop outward away from the box side and into supported engagement with said straightening means in such a manner that the end of said first loop is gripped between said straightening means and said crimping means to impose tension upon the first loop as operation of said crimping means continues, said guiding means being arranged to retain said crimping means in close proximity with the box side to crimp first said second loop and thereafter said first loop into close proximity with the box side.

39. In a lidder for a hinged lid box, a hoist adapted to receive and support a box having an open hinged lid, a frame mounted above said hoist, a resiliently biased member mounted on said frame for movement in the direction of hoist movement, a rigid lid closing member substantially corresponding in configuration to that of said lid and mounted for sliding movement relative to said biased member and for tilting movement on said biased member about a predetermined axis and extending submeans for guiding said bending. 

